Former investigator for Ann Arbor VA sues co-workers for harassment

Former investigator at Ann Arbor VA sues 2 co-workers for harassment

Dena Leath shared her story about what she calls a nightmare working at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Ann Arbor on Thursday.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - Dena Leath shared her story about what she calls a nightmare working at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Ann Arbor on Thursday.

"I’m standing here not only for myself, but for all women - and anyone who feels marginalized," she said.

"When I got there, people even asked me, ‘How long are you going to last?’" she said. "I‘m used to petty being in the military and being in policing, you deal with egos. What drew the line was, they violated someone’s rights, and I called that out."

Leath is suing two of her former colleagues at the Ann Arbor hospital, where she worked for three years.

After retiring from the military and Detroit Police Department, she joined the VA as a criminal investigator in July, 2021. She was the only woman on staff.

Leath claims she was subject to harassment by two male coworkers. Then, she says her complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office and supervisors were ignored.

Leath resigned in 2021.

Her attorney Dionne Webster-Cox, described one of Leath’s alleged experiences.

"So here it is, she’s a woman. She’s trying to get by. ‘Excuse me, can I get by?’ Just standing there blocking the way, refuses to move. 'Excuse me, trying to get by.' Doesn’t move, refuses to move. And then goes back and writes a report saying she was aggressive towards them."

The Department of Veterans Affairs told FOX 2 in a statement: "We are determined to have a workforce that is welcoming, respectful, and as diverse as the veterans we serve. There is no place for discrimination of any kind at VA, and we take all allegations of wrongdoing very seriously and investigate them thoroughly."

Workplace harassment and discrimination has long been an issue for women. Six in 10 harassment claims are filed by women - and four in 10 women say they’ve been discriminated against based on their gender.

"Am I saying if she were a white man, would she have been treated that way? I’m saying if she were a white man she absolutely would not have," said Webster-Cox. "She would not have endured what she had to endure being at that ann arbor hospital."